Category Archives: Leo

Post navigation

Most astrologers know that unless it’s critical, no one is actually watching the clock when a child is being born. Donald Trump is a Gemini with Leo rising. If Donald had been born ten seconds later, he would have Virgo rising. His small Leo hands with rectangular palms, short fingers, and head and life lines closely intertwined at their beginnings confirm that Donald embraces Leo. He was likely born earlier than 10:54 am.

Small handed people are big picture people. They abhor detail and love grand ideas. It’s easy to see Donald’s behavior embodies shameless grandiosity along with the most negative attributes of Leo’s behavioral patterns. He’s narcissistic, self-centered, self-indulgent, superficial, ostentatious, egotistical, ruthless, greedy, bossy, seductive, and a lousy role model. Why do we prostrate ourselves before an over-clothed self-appointed emperor on a polished brass pedestal? How many gilded towers, glitzy gambling casinos, graven images, beauty queens, shark tanks, and celebrity idols do we need? What has happened to Donald’s (and our) humanity? It’s mind boggling to witness how a person can be so physically wealthy and spiritually bankrupt at the same time.

Donald’s Mercury square Neptune and corresponding curved pinkie fingers confirm Donald’s pathological dishonesty. Mercury’s dark side is the trickster, magician, con-artist, and pick-pocket. The court jester has become king. Donald’s north node in Gemini is conjunct those Mercurial archetypes. The North node in Gemini is a karmic invitation and responsibility to join society in order to share higher consciousness and lend humanity a helping hand so that we can all exercise higher mind. It’s easy to see how Bill Clinton (Leo) and George Bush (Leo rising) screwed up their Gemini north node opportunities. Donald Trump has already done more than his share of damage. Perhaps he has fulfilled his karmic obligation by clearly exposing the dark underbelly of democracy and capitalism. If you’re looking for more dirt, research what Donald was up to on the exact dates in 2011 and 2012 when Pluto squared, then opposed Donald’s Mercury Neptune square. Look for scams on dates in 2012 and 2013 when Uranus opposed and squared that same combo.

Donald’s head and life lines are closely intertwined at their beginnings. Despite his callous behavior, Donald craves your approval and cares a lot about what you think of him, though he doesn’t care about you. Donald’s day of reckoning is coming. During 2016, Uranus in Aries has been squaring Donald’s Saturn Venus conjunction in Cancer and will continue to square it in 2017 while transiting Saturn opposes his Sun and conjuncts his Moon. If you want to speed up Donald’s meltdown, millions of people should tweet to Donald J Trump “YOU’RE FIRED” on the following astrologically selected dates in 2017 – April 2, May 6, July 7, August 7, 12, 20, and 30, October 11, November 8 and 17. Anytime is a good time, but the above dates are the most effective. Donald’s hubris will finally take him down when the critical mass of horrors that he has perpetrated will no longer be acceptable to the masses. George Bush had a similar problem. Hopefully, he’s gained some humility with hindsight.

Author’s note: many people have curved pinky fingers. They are not pathological liars. A majority of people with curved pinkies are just trying to avoid confrontation. They’re peace makers because they learned as children to ‘be nice’ and ‘not make waves’. Many too often end up choosing safe over satisfying in their lives.

In palmistry, the shape and proportions of the hands, like the ascendant in astrology, symbolizes a person’s basic character and behavioral tendencies. There’s a lot of confusion and controversy around Hillary Clinton’s time of birth. Last week The Washington Post and LA Times wrote feature articles about the dilemma. The Wall Street Journal devoted its front page to the issue of Hillary’s birth time on September 29. Many astrologers have agreed that Hillary was born around 8 am. That gives her Scorpio rising. I disagree.

Hillary has a fiery earthy Capricorn hand with square palms, straight short fingers, and separated head and life line. She has no earth in her horoscope except for her north node in Taurus. I believe she’s got either Capricorn rising or Saturn in Leo on her ascendant. If Capricorn is rising, her birth time is between 11:05 am and 12:59 pm. If Saturn is rising, her birth time would be around 12:17 am. That fits her personality best.

Hillary Clintonis aScorpio with a Pisces moon square Uranus in Gemini. There’s no doubt that Hillary has secrets. She’s all water and fixity. Hillary is also a natural manager who embraces the responsibility of delegating every aspect of daily business while maintaining a long-range vision. She has no problem starting early or staying late to finish a task. She’s structured, disciplined, and focused, expects you to be on time, and do what you say. She has no patience for excuses and inherently doesn’t trust slick and flashy types (though she married one).

Hillary is much less conservative than most people think. She’d prefer to stray from the rules, but continues to support and be supported by a system that she doesn’t know how to change. Practical and prudent, she patiently bides her time until circumstances are right. She’s independent and freedom loving and hates bureaucracy, despite being a hostage of one. She becomes quickly bored and impatient with routines. Hillary must have a worthwhile quest for her life not to become too mundane. She’s not possessive, but demands too little of her partner in her emotional life (low set pinky).

Hillarymust listen more to her natural intuition and less to her handlers and backers. She’s got less charm (doesn’t need anyone’s approval), but greater executive abilities than Bill. Hillary’s powerful north node in Taurus opposes her Mercury in Scorpio. One of her great lessons in life is to understand the difference between what she wants and what she needs. From a karmic point of view, Hillary’s job is to help humanity wrap its psyche around humanitarian values and issues that really matter. I believe that if Hillary does become President, she’ll rise to the occasion.

With Saturn about to oppose and then square Hillary’s Moon Uranus square, you can bet she’s plenty frustrated right now and feeling distant from everyone. Unlike her opponent, it’s hard for Hillary to fake her feelings and not be real. She’d rather show than tell any day. If she’s elected she’ll meet with a lot of prejudice and staunch partisan opposition to everything she tries until the end of 2017. 2018 will be a year of reform for her and us as Uranus opposes her Sun.

If Hillary does have 21 degrees of Leo rising, her outlook is much better. Transiting Uranus has been trine instead of inconjunct her Saturn / Ascendant. At inauguration time, transiting Saturn will be trine her Saturn / Ascendant while Jupiter will be sextile them. This new ascendant may also explain Hillary’s attraction to Bill as his Leo Sun is conjunct that ascendant. The outer planets will leave Hillary’s Leo ascendant without hard aspects for her first couple of years in office.

Hindsight is 20/20. History repeats itself. Let’s observe generational astrology through the lens of politics. George W Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump share a Gemini lunar north node (December 24 1945 ~ August 11 1947). People born August 6 1964 ~ February 21 1966 (50–52) and March 15 1983 ~ Nov 1 1984 (32–33) share the same karma. It’s an invitation and responsibility to join society to share higher consciousness and lend humanity a helping hand so we can all exercise higher mind. It’s easy to see how Bill Clinton and George Bush screwed up their chances. Donald Trump has already done more than his share of damage. How many gilded towers, glitzy gambling casinos, golden pedestals, graven images, beauty queens, shark tanks, and celebrity idols do we need? Bill (Leo), George (Leo rising), and Donald (Leo rising) all have damaged Leo egos and corresponding hubris. The dark side of the force is alive and well in them. Darth Vader plans to become the emperor and control the evil empire. We need Luke Skywalker, Yoda, and the Jedi knights. We must look in the mirror to find them.

The celebrities below share outer planetary symbolism. Notice how many actors have traveled between light and darkness in a paradox between the person they are and the roles they play. One person’s hero is another’s villain. There’s a lot of humanity and just as much inhumanity. Saturn and Pluto conjunct in Leo has much to do with justified violence and the struggle for power. My Saturn Pluto conjunction closely straddles my Leo mid-heaven. Thanks to a series of business disasters, I was able to let go of my hubris and get my priorities straight. It’s challenging to find a healthy balance between opposing forces when the dark force is so strong. I share a lot of planetary symbolism and karma with Donald. I’m taking responsibility for my Gemini north node by offering you a helping hand ~ your own.

Uranus changes sign every seven years. In Aries, (1927–1935) Uranus brought fierce individualism, pioneering spirit, abundant energy, and limitless financial resources to bring concepts to fruition. It was the only outer planet to transit the sign of Aries in the twentieth century. Uranus invigorated the collective psyche through revolutionary and technological changes. Physics and astronomy created the “Big Bang” theory of an ever-expanding universe. The Neutron was discovered. Mao Tse-Tung began his `22 years in the wilderness’ where he developed guerrilla warfare tactics that ultimately conquered China. Leon Trotsky was expelled from the communist party. The federal government entered the field of hydroelectric power with Boulder Dam. The stock market crashed, forcing people to re-examine their values and institutions.

Uranus completed its eighty-four year cycle in the spring of 2011 as it turbulently returned to Aries to crumble regimes, topple demagogues, ignite cities, and fuel the Arab Spring that spread across the Mid-East. Devastating earthquakes in Japan forever changed how governments look at nuclear power policies. Protestors in Spain set the stage for Occupy Movements in New York and London. Osama Bin Laden was killed. His sighting appeared on Twitter before it was officially announced by the Whitehouse. WikiLeaks raised our consciousness of government secrets and conspiracies. We’ve seen our share of extremes ~ 1% vs 99%, capitalism vs values, partisan politics vs democracy, religious fundamentalism vs spirituality, and humanitarianism vs terrorism.

People born from 1935 to 1942 have Uranus in Taurus. Society began focusing on their values and questioning materialism. President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. Labor organized, forming unions that went on strike and engaged in sit-downs across the nation. President Roosevelt defended the Four Essential Freedoms: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear. Partisan politics has steadily undermined those freedoms, including social and national security. The wealthy have expectedly gained, while so many people have experienced sudden and unexpected reversals. Uranus will return to Taurus after 84 years in early 2018 for another seven years. The New York Stock Exchange and Federal Reserve are bulls. Expect unexpected extreme financial fluctuations, public outrage, and mass rebellion that will begin a fundamental philosophical paradigm shift in global values.

When the planet Uranus transited the sign of Gemini from 1942 to 1949, the emphasis in this country shifted to education. The U.S. Supreme Court abolished religion in public schools. The GI Bill enabled thousands of people to go to college. Occupations in communications fields like radio and television became more prevalent. In 1946, the first computer calculation began at the University of Pennsylvania. It was called ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). Columbia Records introduced the 33 1/3 rpm “long playing record”. The Atomic Energy Commission was created. The United Nations held its first session in London. The United States joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

Bill, George, Bernie, Hillary, and Donald have Uranus in Gemini. Bill and George have Uranus conjunct their north node. Donald has the sun and Uranus conjunct his north node opposing his moon in Sag. You’d think that with all the north node in Gemini karmic debt, our public servants would be gratefully and graciously serving their country while raising the bar on education, energy, environment, each other, and the rest of us.

Bill, George, Hillary, and Donald have Neptune in Libra. While the planet Neptune transited Libra from 1942 to 1957, nuclear weapons began proliferating. The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. President Truman instructed the Atomic Energy Commission to produce an even bigger `Hydrogen Bomb’. The United Nations began blossoming. International cartels became firmly established. The European Common Market was recognized. The civil rights movement flourished. Group psychology became popular. The World Council of Churches was established. Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini, founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was the first American citizen canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. You’d think our public servants with Neptune in Libra would be promoting peace, tolerance, and caring.

The art world went through dramatic changes. Allen Ginsberg became a popular poet writing, “I have seen the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness”. When Neptune left Libra in 1957, the bestselling novel was Peyton Place, focusing on sexual intrigue in a small town. Certainly, Bill, Hillary, and Donald have shared their shocking sexual melodramas. People born between 1942 and 1957 tend to be overly idealistic in relationships. We must learn to harmonize, compromise, and sacrifice or maybe we should resign ourselves to living among a dysfunctional humanity in a lunatic world.

Bill, George, Hillary, Bernie, and Donald have Pluto in Leo. Pluto takes approximately twenty years to change sign. When it does, it disintegrates, destroys, and transforms collective consciousness. Leo is the light source. Pluto is the dark force. While Pluto transited Leo from 1938 to 1957, national and personal pride and power transformed. Despite The New Deal, ten million people were unemployed in 1939. President Roosevelt increased appropriations for building the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Congress adopted the Naval Expansion Act. Roosevelt transformed the Federal Reserve by creating the ‘withholding tax’, which was the beginning of social security. He became the first president to appear on television. These days, thanks to the media, politics has become entertainment and people vote for their favorite entertainers.

The House investigated un-American activities. It was the beginning of huge multi-national business conglomerates. Western Europe tried to appease Hitler with the Munich Pact, which turned Czechoslovakia over to Nazi Germany. Polls showed Americans approved. These sentiments have reawakened with Donald Trump. The Nazis invaded Poland, which caused Great Britain and France to declare war. Winston Churchill asked President Roosevelt for help. In 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Japanese Americans paid a high price as they were forced from their homes into concentration camps where they became innocent victims of hate and prejudice. Fundamentalist devotion to ideologies and tyrants began to crumble. In 1943, the fascist dictator Mussolini fell from power. By 1945, most of the world knew that six million Jews had been slaughtered in Nazi concentration camps. Can an emperor still catalyze this kind of consciousness and chaos these days? Youbetcha is the answer.

The atomic bomb was the ultimate plutonian weapon. After we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. In 1949, we supported a war in Korea that ended up killing three million Koreans in less than a year. In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy began his sensational tirade against communist subversives and traitors in the US. Julia and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to the electric chair for stealing bomb secrets. Perhaps a wall should be built around the USA to keep us from infecting the world.

In 1951, the United Nations complex was completed in New York City. AT&T became the first company with over a million stockholders. Christine Jorgensen became the first transsexual to go public in 1952. Norman Vincent Peale’s best seller, The Power of Positive Thinking was published. The first kidney was transplanted. The first mechanical heart was made to work. Chevrolet introduced the powerful sexy Corvette in 1953. The US launched the Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine in 1954. The Soviet Union opened the world’s first atomic power station. Reigning British Monarchs made their first visit to American soil. We reached for outer space.

Better known as the `ME NOW’ generation, people born between 1938 and 1957 have used technology to build personal power. Pluto in Leo rules capitalism and democracy. Rest assured, plutocrats will have little problem finding money, rights, resources, and technology to own, harness, package, distribute, and sell our Sun’s energy to all of us as we struggle for our independence when Uranus returns to Leo (2039-2046) and Pluto (in Aquarius) opposes it near the end of its cycle.

Many people are preparing for ‘End Time’. It’s no surprise. The human race has become a race against bad shit happening. Rigid partisan beliefs and self-righteous attitudes have transformed us into horrible role models and lousy judges of our own characters and actions. Pious philosophers and pointless politicians pollute our greater purpose. Partisan paradigms and pestilent practices poison our psyche. Faulty families feast frenzily on flawed feelings, vague values, and toxic thinking that stimulate our fear, desperation, and hatred.

While we compartmentalize, analyze, and rationalize our ideologies and beliefs, we sacrifice our spirituality, virtue, integrity, dignity, and nobility on the altar of nonsense. Our selfish excesses compromise the immune system of our planet and the spirit of our people. We ignore root causes and treat symptoms with placebos as we wander aimlessly in the desert, worshipping sacred cows and coveting golden calves.

Let’s have a look at the hands and astrology of the candidates.

Donald Trump is a Gemini with Leo rising. His Leo hands embody the most negative attributes of Leo’s behavioral patterns that include being self-centered, self-indulgent, superficial, ostentatious, egotistical, ruthless, greedy, bossy, seductive, and a lousy role model. Why do people prostrate themselves before a naked self-appointed emperor on a gilded pedestal? What has happened to Donald’s (and our) humanity? It’s baffling to witness how a person can be so wealthy and spiritually bankrupt at the same time.

Mercury’s dark side is the trickster, magician, con-artist, and pick-pocket. Donald’s north node in Gemini is conjunct that archetype. Mercury square Neptune and corresponding curved pinkie fingers confirm Donald’s pathological dishonesty. If I were looking for dirt, I’d be checking the exact dates in 2011 and 2012 when Pluto squared, then opposed Donald’s Mercury Neptune square. I’d look for shenanigans on dates in 2012 and 2013 when Uranus opposed and squared that same combo.

Donald’s head and life lines are closely intertwined at their beginnings. Despite his aloof behavior, Donald craves your approval and cares a lot about what you think of him, though he doesn’t care about you. Donald’s day of reckoning is coming. In 2016, Uranus in Aries has been squaring Donald’s Saturn Venus conjunction in Cancer and will oppose it in 2017. His hubris will finally take him down when something so horrible that he has done that no one can accept will be exposed. George Bush had a similar problem. Hopefully, he’s gained some humility with hindsight.

Author’s note: many people have curved pinky fingers. They are not pathological liars, although a majority of people with curved pinkies are just trying to avoid confrontation. They’re peace makers because they learned as children to ‘be nice’ and ‘not make waves’. Many too often end up choosing safe over satisfying in their lives.

Hillary Clintonis aScorpio with a Pisces moon square Uranus in Gemini. Her birth time is questionable, although most astrologers seem to agree that she has Scorpio rising. There’s no doubt that Hillary has secrets. She’s all water and fixity. Her only symbol in earth is her north node in Taurus. Hillary’s hands reveal a Capricorn personality, though she has no planets in Capricorn. Her square palms, straight short fingers, and separated head and life line reveal a natural manager. She embraces the responsibility of delegating every aspect of daily business while maintaining a long-range vision. She has no problem starting early or staying late to finish a task. She’s structured, disciplined, and focused, expects you to be on time, and do what you say. Hillary has no patience for excuses and doesn’t trust slick and flashy types (though she married one).

Hillary used to be an idealist. She’s much less conservative than most people think. She’d prefer to stray from the rules, but continues to support and be supported by a system that she doesn’t know how to change. Practical and prudent, she patiently bides her time until circumstances are right. She’s independent and freedom loving and hates bureaucracy, despite being a hostage of one. She gets quickly bored and impatient with routines. Hillary must have a worthy quest for her life not to get too mundane. She’s not possessive, but demands too little of her partner in her emotional life (low set pinky).

Hillarymust listen more to her natural intuition and less to her handlers and backers. She’s got less charm (doesn’t need anyone’s approval), but greater executive abilities than Bill. Hillary’s powerful north node in Taurus opposes her Mercury in Scorpio. One of her great lessons is to understand the difference between want and need. There’s more than enough to go around in this world. From a karmic point of view, Hillary’s job is to help humanity wrap its psyche around humanitarian values and issues that really matter. I believe that if Hillary does become President, she’ll rise to the occasion.

With Saturn about to oppose and then square Hillary’s Moon Uranus square, you can bet she’s plenty frustrated right now and feeling distant from everyone. Unlike her opponent, it’s hard for Hillary to fake her feelings and not be real. She’d rather show than tell any day. If she’s elected she’ll meet with a lot of prejudice and staunch partisan opposition to everything she tries until the end of 2017. 2018 will be a year of reform for her and us as Uranus opposes her Sun.

All palmists agree on the importance of the thumb. Although the thumb is a small body part, it takes up a huge space in the cerebral cortex of our brains. The thumb opposes our other four fingers, which has enabled our minds to develop. It’s the primary reason we have dominion over our ancestors, the apes. We’ve designed all of our tools from a pencil to the most sophisticated computer because of the placement of our thumbs. As our hands carry out the messages of our minds, our thoughts, feelings, and behavior are reflected in the morphology and topography of our hands.

The thumb symbolizes our most valuable resources: willpower, logic, and ability to love. It’s essential to our well-being that these three very important qualities be balanced. Like our other fingers, a thumb has two joints and three segments known as phalanges. The top phalange represents will. The second or middle phalange represents logic and ability to reason. If the will segment is longer than logic, you frequently act before you think. If there’s more logic than will, you may figure whatever out, but then procrastinate. A tiny bit more logic than will keeps us in check. The bottom phalange is the ball of thumb, contained by the lifeline. The ball of thumb governs our capacity to love and have compassion and sympathy for others, to maintain significant relationships, to appreciate people, animals, nature, art, and music. If there’s not enough love and sympathy, all the logic in the world won’t matter.

Unlike our other four fingers, our thumb is not ruled by a single planet. It’s obvious that willpower, logic, and love contain all elements and modalities. You can assign a sun sign to any detail to gain more insight. A particular element or modality may be strengthened or weakened by the shape of the tip and / or fingerprint. For example, a spatulate tip with a whorl print adds cardinality and fire. A square tip with an arch print adds fixity and earth. A round or conical tip with a loop print adds mutability and air or water. Many combinations are possible. I’ve written several blog posts on the thumb: The Basics ~ A Parable ~ The Murderer’s Thumb ~ Generalities

Once you’ve established a dominant element and modality for both hands, examine the fingers. The lengths and proportions of fingers, shapes of tips, knots, and nails reveal our relationships with others and what types of career and work we’re best suited for. How are your fingers spread? If they’re widely spaced, freedom is essential to doing things your way. If they’re held closely together you’re a team player, cautious at beginnings, and prefer not to make important decisions on your own.

Dominant index fingers (Jupiter) are long and stand independently from other fingers. A strong index fingered person prefers to partner. As ambitious types, they visualize their goals and then plan to accomplish them. As career minded individuals, they’re motivated by professionalism. They have natural leadership abilities that attract opportunities for them to manage. They’re drawn to others like themselves who are ambitious and proactive. Controlling behavior patterns, obsessive habits, being critical, judgmental, and indulging in too much good food and drink are weaknesses. Other flaws include false pride, gluttony, vanity, and bossiness. Dominant index fingered individuals must overcome their excesses by practicing moderation. Success comes more easily than most other types, but it still must be earned. Many successful judges, journalists, lawyers, politicians, producers, promoters, priests, speakers, salespeople, and the finest and worst chefs have dominant index fingers.

Basic hand shape will reveal whether the person is more adventurous, practical, thinking, or feeling. Shapes of tips, knots, nails, and fingerprints can dramatically modify any interpretation. You can assign an element and modality to any detail to gain more insight into the issue or challenge you’re addressing. Want to befriend a dominant index fingered person? Be honest, direct, proactive, and take pride in your career.

Many dominant index finger types are of medium height with generously proportioned bodies, wide chests, high foreheads, wide eyes, full faces, and wavy dark hair. Long index finger folk are naturally healthy types who may overindulge in rich exotic foods, luxurious desserts, and fine wines. It’s not a paradox that their physical sense is taste. The older they get, the higher the toll. Temptation knocks and Jupiter unlocks the door to eventual blood disorders, liver trouble, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and problems with hips, thighs, and throat. Many people believe short index fingers are connected to homosexuality. That’s not true. Here’s what I have to say on the subject.

The middle finger (Saturn) is the balance wheel of the hand. It should always be the longest finger, although it may appear shorter relative to index and / or ring fingers, which may be above average. Structure, discipline, and focus are needed. Harnessing these qualities is another story. Saturn is his own worst critic and easily frustrated. Finding healthy uses of will power is essential to having a healthy life. Dominant middle finger types are loners and need alone time. Less inclined to marry than other types, they’re dependable, organized, efficient, patient, and faithful. Their troubles begin with spending too much time feeling guilty, fearful, self-critical, frustrated, and depressed. Being overly responsible and perfectionistic is a recipe for depression, frustration, and fear. Notice how the strong middle finger in this photo magnetically draws the other fingers toward it. This man is an incredible artisan and a confirmed bachelor. He worked as a night watchman for many years.

Dominant middle-fingered folk are frequently tall, slender, and angular in appearance. Pure types have dark hair, large bones, stern features, and bland complexions. The prevailing physical sense is smell. Many Saturn types love string instruments and prefer classical music with a tinge of sadness. They eventually have problems with teeth, knees, ligaments, and hardening of arteries, rheumatism, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, or deafness in the left ear. When the middle finger leans toward the ring finger, you’ve got an individual with a very strong need for privacy. When he’s feeling confined, controlled, or restricted, he gets cranky. Notice the curved middle finger on Donald Rumsfeld’s left hand. There’s no doubt he’s a curmudgeon. Abraham Lincoln (Aquarius) and Clint Eastwood (Gemini) are quintessential Saturnians.

Have a dominant middle-fingered boss? Do your homework with a very sharp pencil. Your precision, attention to detail, and realism are vital to achieving your goals. Don’t be late and don’t make excuses. Assume responsibility and be pragmatic, reliable, and dependable. You’ll avoid criticism and maybe even get some praise.

The middle finger is the finger of fate. It’s where illusion and delusion meet reality. No matter what else is happening in your hands, the middle finger forces you to face the facts. Then you have to do whatever needs to be done. It’s always about work on your part. The remedy for many maladies is inherent in the challenges in and around the middle finger. Whether you do the work or not, what you do will show in your hands. A grille (schmutz) is a bunch of lines crisscrossing in every direction under the middle finger and a sure sign of frustration resulting from too much perfectionism or not doing what needs to be done. People with schmutz below their middle finger are their own worst critics. They must lighten up, buckle down, and bite the proverbial bullet. Taking one step at a time is the best medicine for letting go of frustration. Healthy attitudes will in time reduce or erase the grille. Healthy people have strong healthy middle fingers.

Ring finger types are happiest. Dominant index fingered folk are the most ambitious. Middle finger types are the most serious. The sun (Leo) finger is symbolized by Apollo, who hauls the sun across the sky each day in his chariot. Apollo types are attractive, brilliant, charming, graceful, artistic, and successful on the inside. Healthy dominant ring finger types are versatile, adaptable, creative, and expressive.

Being so brilliant with so many natural talents and abilities has a downside. It’s easy to be spread too thin (“jack of all trades”). Concern with outward appearances and being tempted by casual attractions is a waste of valuable time. They enjoy marriage, but have very high expectations of their mates that can lead to disappointment. So much solar energy makes them irresistible. Apollo types are healthy, medium height, naturally muscular, and athletic. Their dominant sense is sight. Physical weaknesses are heart problems, eyesight, and circulation. Dominant ring fingered people are lucky. They can trust their gut. When they take calculated risks, they often succeed. I’ve read the hands of many gamblers with very long ring fingers. Their biggest challenge is in knowing when to stop. Their optimism and idealism cloud reality. The most successful actors, artists, musicians, designers, and sales people have dominant ring fingers.

This powerful pinky finger fits a communicative, curious, and quick-witted individual. Dominant pinky fingered people are bottom liners. As quick thinkers and excellent communicators, they’re well aware that if their presentation doesn’t add up, they won’t make the sale. They’re eternally childlike and cherish their freedom. In relationships, they love variety until they end up marrying someone like their mother or father. They love children and will bear any burden for family.

Hermes is the Greek god attributed to the pinky finger. Peter Pan (adolescence), Puck, Knight of Swords, Court Jester, Magician, Thoth, Loki, and Mercury are all Hermes. Clever tricksters can also be great communicators and potential archetypes of wisdom.

Early family dynamic can be observed in the way the pinky is set on the hands. When it’s short or low set, trust is a major issue. Many women with very low set pinkies have told me that they have trouble having orgasms. Their real challenge is in trusting themselves and others enough to have real intimacy. A pinky finger emphasizes technical, language, and family, in addition to sexual potentials. Hermes’ dominant physical sense is hearing. Hermes prefers musical instruments that require dexterity.

The pinky finger is normally the shortest finger. To determine whether the pinky is considered long or short, look to where it lines up with the ring finger. When the tip of the pinky finger is above the crease between the first and second phalange of the ring finger, it’s considered long. When the pinky finger is shorter than that crease in the ring finger, it’s considered short. Hermes was the shortest of the gods. A dominant pinky fingered person tends to be short in stature. His or her body and face are slender, with expressive hands, dark hair, and penetrating eyes with crow’s feet in the corners. Ed Harris is a great example. Pinky fingered folk are youthful looking with men frequently having thin beards. Johnny Depp is a Mercurial type. Mercurial types are androgynous. Many (they may not know or admit it) are bi-sexual. David Bowie was Mercurial. Michael Jackson (Peter Pan) actually lived in his very own Neverland.

Health issues center around the nervous and bronchial systems. Problems with headaches, thyroid glands, memory loss, and speech impediments are common. Healthy types can be intuitive geniuses and great judges of character. Their liabilities are trickiness, fickleness, nervousness, restlessness, and superficiality. People preaching on soapboxes, pickpockets, and successful con artists have dominant pinkies (most inwardly curving). Mercury types make great lawyers, doctors, orators, writers, engineers, teachers, accountants, bankers, shopkeepers, and magicians. I work at special events with famous magicians. These amazing tricksters are very Mercurial. They surprise and astound by deceiving the eye and mind through sleight of hand. Hermes leads the way in science, law, medicine, writing, and banking.

Is this man telling the truth?

The chirological equivalent of Pinocchio’s nose is a deeply inwardly curving pinky finger. If your pinky finger is curved inwardly, you typically hate confrontation and spend too much time behaving in ways that work. You’ve spent so much of your life acting and bending the truth that you aren’t even aware you’re doing it. Most curved pinky fingered people learn early in life that “nice” works. Their biggest challenge is that “nice” ends up becoming safe instead of satisfying. Curved pinky fingered people are peacemakers. They try to fix other people and circumstances. If you’re one of these people, be yourself and not who you think everyone else wants and needs you to be.

Gold and diamond rings are often found on the pinky finger of acquisitive people. Pinky rings can symbolize the sublimation of sexual energies in order to achieve something requiring a lot of energy. I once examined a group of fifty young men and women, all born into wealthy families in the 80′s. Considering the prosperity of the period, it seemed a paradox to me that every single one of them had an obviously short phalange on the bottom segment of the little finger of his or her dominant hand. The bottom phalange represents the material world. Money will never be a motivation for this group’s career choices. Family issues and personal values will drive these individuals.

Planets, signs, aspects, and houses combine to reveal character, behavioral patterns, life cycles, timing, and a personal and collective psyche. Astrology is a science and art of infinite permutations, possibilities, and probabilities. Astrology and palmistry share the same planets and mythology. Correspondences can be hard to see because astrology shows us our potentials and hands show us what we’ve done, are doing, and are likely to do with our potentials. A sun, moon, ascendant, or stellium (conjunction of three or more planets in a house) can dominate a person’s psyche. In an astrology chart, you can see potentials. In hands, you see the choices a person has made, but not directly and only by degree. Judging is everything in palmistry. The tiniest change in a line over time can embody a huge change in a life. Any lack or excess of signs, planets, elements, or modalities will be revealed in the topography of our hands.

No matter what the basic hand color, colors on the palm may vary from subtle shades of white, pink, red, and yellow to dark blue. Most palms are more colorful than most people realize. Red embodies too much pent up passion, frustration, anger, and rage. As pressure goes up, hands get hot. An unhealthy Mars overdoes everything. In the natal chart, look to Mars, Aries, and first house aspects to gain insight into opportunities and challenges that correspond to redness in the hands. Rosy pink is healthiest. A strong flow of blood pulses through a pink ball of thumb. Under the index finger (Jupiter), pink embodies a healthy ego and a positive relationship with Venus. Look to Sagittarius and Taurus and the second and ninth houses in a chart for more insight. White can be a lack of passion, energy, and clear intent. Saturn and Neptune’s relationship may provide insights and answers. When you see yellow (not from carrot juice), a person has a potentially pressing Saturn and/or Mercury issue.

One comment I often hear is “My hands are the way they are because of what I do”. Hardness, softness, roughness, smoothness, and calluses are formed by combining character with will power. You may have calluses because of what you do, but you do what you do because you were designed to do it (and many other possibilities).

Once you’ve established a basic character type, see what stands out. Does a finger lean, bend, crook, or twist? Is it long, short, fat, thin, strong, or weak? What’s most obvious ~ shapes of tips, knots, nails, stiffness, flexibility, consistency, elasticity, color, or texture? The hand above has obvious Saturn, Mercury, and Lunar (heel of hand) challenges.

Hands and fingers can be so flexible they bend backward at every joint, or so stiff you can’t budge them with a nutcracker. Stiff fingered folk are extremely stubborn. Healthy elastic skin bounces back when pushed or pulled. People with too little elasticity must be encouraged to exercise regularly and build resistance to life’s knocks and hardships. Modality can be experienced in a handshake. I’ve shaken cool damp mashed potatoes (apathy) and been shaken by hot, rough, dry, hard, vice grips (control). Most of us compensate for our lack or overabundance of one thing or another. Too much or little of any planet, sign, house, or aspect can cause an imbalance that creates similar results.

No matter what our hands say about us, we must still live our lives. Hard hands with stiff fingers fight change. Letting go will be a major life theme. Interpretations may be very different between astrology and hands. Soft hands and flexible fingers should embody dominant mutability in the natal chart. It may not. Softness does keep close company with rationalization, compartmentalization, and procrastination. Soft flexible hands need structure, discipline, focus, determination, and patience in order to build strong structures on solid foundations that support greater purpose and meaning.

When judging the qualities of hands, it helps to think of extremes. Texture of skin can vary from the velvety softness of baby hands to the callused coarseness of a coal miner or farmer. You rarely see contrary qualities in the same hands, any more than you see opposite types attracted to one another. Debutantes don’t dine with ditch diggers.

We’re always communicating with our hands. Gesture reveals our conscious and subconscious minds in the here and now. The messages of our mouths may be very different than the messages of our hands. Hands never lie.

Finger lengths, proportions, knots, flexibility of joints, shapes of tips, and nails reveal our relationships to others and show how we manifest our potentials in our outer world.

Four major lines (life, head, heart, and fate) deliver detailed data about our inner lives and outer circumstances. Lines begin somewhere, end somewhere, and display various qualities in-between. Depth, breadth, and textures of lines reveal elemental influences. Beginnings, endings, and directions of lines reveal how signs, planets, and aspects correspond to mind, emotion, career, and health. Markings on lines can reveal transits and timing. Select major planetary transits from Saturn to Pluto from your ephemeris that correspond to markings in the hand. You can time important transitions on lines. The above palm shows an airy head line that reveals indecisive thinking and a watery heart line that exposes confusion and ambiguity in emotion, especially during major life transitions like independence and menopause. I told her what she already knew and had been told by others ~ that she was a late bloomer and would become clearer, more decisive, and enjoy more intimacy, personal satisfaction, and fulfillment with age.

Traditional palmistry identifies seven basic archetypes based on seven planetary places in the hands. Even the newest palmistry books promulgate traditional methods and impart obsolete knowledge derived from centuries of unoriginal thinking. Palmistry and astrology need each other. Astrology establishes twelve basic archetypes based on combinations of four elements and three modalities. Palmistry has embraced the four elements, but has ignored the three modalities. Learning to judge modalities in hands is challenging, but absolutely necessary.

The devil is in the details and there are many levels of details. No matter what your archetype and lines say about you, modality modifies interpretation. Knowing a modality is fundamental to knowing a person. If your hands are hard and fingers are stiff, you’ll fight change with every molecule in your psyche. Getting started and letting go will be major life challenges. People whose hands are soft and fingers are very supple and flexible are challenged to be disciplined, structured, and focused. Major life issues include avoiding distraction and saying ‘No’. Mutable types must be more patient and persistent in order to build strong structures on solid foundations that support greater purpose and meaning.

Modalities separate traditional palmistry from modern palmistry. I discussed the four elements in a previous blog post. Multiplying four elements by three modalities gives twelve unique character types. Anyone who knows astrology agrees that sun signs are distinctly different from one another. Palmistry represents the same twelve types and shares the same mythology. The greatest challenge is seeing the modalities and judging the degrees to which they’re affecting the elements. That takes practice.

Four Elements Cardinal Fixed Mutable

Here’s a brief generalized description of how to see the three modalities in the hands.

Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. Solstices and equinoxes are changes of seasons. Aries (spring), Libra (fall), Cancer (summer), and Capricorn (winter) are new beginnings. Cardinal types have boundless energy and enthusiasm when they’re feeling inspired and passionate. Powerful ambition blends with magnetic natures to impel action and achieve goals. They’re best at starting things and not so good at finishing them. When the work becomes mundane or routine, impatience, intolerance, and impulsiveness is imminent.

‘Pure’ types have enthusiastic handshakes, openly held fingers, low set thumbs, and resilient pink elastic skin. Their head and life lines are frequently separate where the thumb joins the hand. I frequently see one or more conical or spatulate fingertips and multiple whorl fingerprints on cardinal types. Flash Rosenberg is an initiator, a great friend, Guggenheim award winning visual artist, profuse performance artist, professional photographer, prolific writer, and artist in residence for ‘LIVE from the NY Public library’. Check out her remarkable live drawing and direction: IMAGINE: How Creativity Works – http://vimeo.com/38798735

Mid-seasons embody fixity. Taurus (mid-spring), Leo (mid-summer), Scorpio (mid-fall), and Aquarius (mid-winter) are fixed signs. Fixed types maintain, support, and nourish what exists. They’re logical and practical. You can depend on them. They say what they do and do what they say. Their greatest challenge is to see the proverbial handwriting on the wall and then accept and embrace change.

They have firm honest handshakes. Their hands and fingers are stiffer than cardinal and mutable types. Large stiff thumbs embody abundant will, supported by dogged determination, and sustained by relentless persistence. Square shape fingertips and developed second knots represent an organized, practical, responsible, reliable, and dependable nature. Cautious types hold fingers closely together and are better team players. Fixed head and life lines are often intertwined at their beginnings. I’ve observed multiple arch finger prints on fixed hands. Procrastination can be a substantial problem.

Dr. Bryks is my dentist. He’s a great craftsman and a compassionate, competent, and caring person with a huge ball of thumb. Full ball of thumb people are givers and lovers of home, food, comfort, nature, children, beauty, and art. It’s hard for them to say “No”. Dr. Bryks appreciates everyone. He hums his favorite melodies as he mines for decay in my teeth. If someone has to dig around in my mouth, I’m glad it’s Dr. Bryks.

Gemini (late-spring), Virgo (late-summer), Sagittarius (late-fall), and Pisces (late-winter) are mutable signs. They represent changeability. Mutable types generally have warm handshakes that convey honesty and sincerity (which may not be the whole truth). They’re clever, hate conflict, and work hard to avoid confrontation while employing the fine art of tact and diplomacy. Mutable types have the most openly held, flexible, and elastic hands and fingers of all three modalities. My open hands and strong straight pinkies are saying I have nothing to hide (although I hold many others’ secrets).

Cardinal types create, fixed types maintain, and mutable types communicate. Mutable does what cardinal and fixed don’t do or don’t want to do. As a mutable type, I love language and words. Anyone reading my blog knows I’ve chosen to speak for one of the most esoteric and obscure subjects on the planet. I hope to shift the false paradigm of palmistry as a gypsy fortune-telling scam (before I kick the impending bucket). As an expert on hands and a clear communicator, my mission is to give everyone a helping hand, their own. Priceless treasure waits to be discovered at the ends of our arms.

You don’t have to have an Aries sun sign to be an Aries. Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are intuitive types with long rectangular palms and short fingers. Aries hands are similar but different from Leo and Sag hands. Large reddish puffy bumps bulge where Aries thumb meets his hand. More fully-developed percussions (under pinky finger) are firm and consistent. Strong pink elastic skin quickly springs to a normal state when pushed or pulled. Pink energizes. Red pressurizes. Red skin may reflect too much energy, anger, and passion. Aries head and life lines are separated at their beginnings on pure types. Wider gaps symbolize more independent, freedom loving, and rebellious individuals. When head and life lines are closely intertwined, they reveal more inertia and a stronger need to be appreciated. Pure Leos have closely connected head and life lines.

It’s easy to get along with intuitive types if you agree with them. Thinking types fan the flames of intuitive inspiration. Practical types can be pragmatic devil’s advocates. You’ll find them everywhere. Feeling types distrust intuitive optimism and idealism because they’re the ones who get stuck with the emotional baggage when passion wanes.

Aries are the most adventurous of all types. Passion is contagious and optimism eternal. As natural heroes and inspired risk takers, they never run out of doors to knock on. They don’t take rejection personally. Ready and willing to compete with anyone at any time and place, these autonomous freedom lovers hate criticism and detest bureaucrats. Aries types with very low set thumbs have been designed to champion underdogs and quest for holy grails. They crusade relentlessly until their objectives are realized. Rising for worthy causes brings deep personal satisfaction and fulfillment.

As a conceptual thinker, Aries hates details. Once he gets bogged down in mundane tasks like paperwork or bookkeeping, he becomes bored, restless, and impatient and drives everyone around him crazy. He’s easily frustrated, so it’s best to stay out of his way if you can’t help him. His most important challenges are having patience, trusting his intuition, setting sensible goals, and building sound structures on solid foundations. Many famous actors, politicians, religious leaders, military leaders, business executives, surgeons, salesmen, soldiers, policemen, firemen, butchers, and barbers have Aries hands.

Mars, the Roman god of war, is symbolized by an erect penis. Mars was an invincible warrior and lusty lover. His strong athletic body, dominant chest, and rock hard head are built to match his testosterone and inner strength. Aries aren’t called rams for nothing. Aries’ dark side can be controlling, manipulative, argumentative, angry, jealous, hateful, cruel, violent, and vengeful. Everyone has Aries in his or her symbolism.

Aries has amazing resilience and an innate ability to bounce back and land on their feet. A strong sense of inner strength and courage combines with dogged determination and powerful persistence to make them formidable foes. Aries conquers procrastination, overcomes inertia, and embraces action. Potential physical problems include accidents, fevers, headaches, inflammations, and high blood pressure.

Aries progeny are heroes such as King Theseus of Athens, Jason and the Argonauts, Joan of Arc, Robin Hood, and Aladdin, the orphaned son of the king of thieves, a handsome adolescent street rat and diamond in the rough destined to become a prince. Aries rules Energy and War. Sagittarius and Jupiter rule Philosophy, Publicity, Publishing, and Politics. Pisces and Jupiter rule Spirituality and Religion. Billions of individuals are manipulated and controlled by energy, war, politics, and religion.

Al Gore initiated a quest for the Golden Fleece. Al and his Argonauts bagged the coveted Nobel Peace Prize, inspiring masses of minds to question the hazards of Global Warming. His intuitive hands reveal a persuasive personality. Al’s Sun in Aries, with Mars, Saturn, and Pluto in Leo provide abundant inspiration and motivation to help Al transform his world. Al’s Jupiter in Sagittarius provides plenty of money and an ability to sell anything to anyone. Al must pour his inspiration and passion into the essence of his vision.

Al’s rectangular hands, short fingers, and long index finger reveal his ambition and egocentricity. As a conceptual thinker, Al loves the idea part of the process. His greatest strength is his ability to see the whole picture. He has no time, aptitude, or patience for details. Once he knows what he must do, he acquires the facts to make the case for his cause. As a man of great influence and privilege, Al must always remain aware of his own personal footprint and consciously practice what he preaches.

U.S. ex-Secretary of State, ex-General Colin Powell is a pure Aries with his Sun and Mercury in Aries (April 5, 1937). His rectangular palms, short fingers, and widely separated life and head lines are the embodiment of King Theseus of Athens. Theseus escorted Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece. He defeated the dreaded Minotaur (Saddam Hussein, a Taurus) and united the warring Greek factions under his rule.

Secretary Powell’s commanding personality persuaded Americans to keep the faith while we invaded Iraq. He believed he could make a real difference, but ended up being goldenly fleeced by the Bush administration. As our Emperor pulled his threads over our eyes, he was proudly cloaked in Colin Powell’s noble charisma, flawless credibility, and ethical principles on the front lines of international diplomacy. Colin Powell’s largest battles are yet to come as he approaches the end of his life and wages war between his personal loyalties and his virtue, honesty, integrity, and dignity. As a true hero, he must cleanse his legacy by shining the blinding light of absolute truth on the many shades of gray in his life.

President Barack Obama is a Leo with a Gemini Moon and Aquarius rising. His rectangular palms, short fingers, and separated head and life lines embody Aries ability to overcome inertia and create momentum. Barack’s hands are narrower and less meaty than most Aries hands. You can see from the calluses under his fingers that he stays fit. He’s a warrior of ideas and ideals who takes calculated risks. The top phalange of his middle finger crooks slightly toward the ring finger and expresses a powerful desire and need for perfection and personal space. His developed sense of responsibility (unlike his predecessor) impels Barack to choose duty over leisure. The small bottom phalange on his pinky reveals that he’s not motivated by money. Freedom, family, and righteous moral causes drive him.

Libra, the 7th sign of the zodiac rules the 7th house of marriage in western astrology. The autumn equinox is a time for partnership, sharing, and giving. Libras strive for balance, idolize harmony, dislike discord, and hate confrontation. They’re the best negotiators. Libras can be very decisive when it really matters, but they’re infamous when it comes to deciding where to go, what to eat, or what to wear. Libras love being frank and direct, but must realize that they may not be liked for it. They can be aggressive, indirect, and vague at the same time, and still manage to get their way. Some Libras tread a thin line between ethics and honesty. Maybe they know something that could change everything, but fail to mention it. Libras wield logic, tact, and diplomacy like a Samurai Swordsman. Athena’s mighty sword is applied with icy emotional detachment.

You don’t have to be born under the sign of Libra to have a Libra personality. Thinking types have square palms and long fingers. Dominant Libra types have long clear gently curving unobstructed headlines that fork near the percussion of the hand. A cultivated Libra sees every side of a situation. With straight and strong long pinkie fingers, they communicate clearly and directly. Dominant bottom and middle phalanges are favorable for commerce, banking, and real estate. A long top phalanx is best for public speaking, journalism, or law. Strong index fingers make ambitious hardworking managers and powerful leaders. A separation between head and life lines increases personal initiative and spontaneity. The wider the space, the more the person doesn’t care what others think. They do what they must do no matter what. Some Libras are blinded by their need to get their way. Trying to change a Libra’s mind is like playing a game of mental monopoly. The best strategy is to be direct and make good sense.

Healthy Libras have strong handshakes and firm pink elastic skin. Long graceful heart lines extend from under the pinkie to the base of the index finger, embodying romance and sentimentality. Sometimes a branch at the end of the heart line reaches down to touch the head line. These Libras can analyze, rationalize, and compartmentalize their feelings. It’s part of their duality to be hard and soft at the same time. Long vertical lines on the ball of the thumb within the life line are soul commitments to family and friends. The happiest Libras will have several clear lines parallel to their life lines.

Libras are idealistic, romantic, and refined. Aesthetics are important to them. You’ll see Libra professionals in chic designer clothing taking clients out to trendy restaurants. Political, legal, publishing, public speaking, public relations, marketing, higher education, and entertainment fields are burgeoning with Librans.

Athena is my favorite Libra archetype. Greek Goddess of Wisdom and Justice, Athena rules the strategic thinking required in combat. Odysseus (Libra) and Achilles (Aries) worshiped her. Often pictured as a handsome Goddess in battle armor, Athena holds a shield (Intuition) in one hand and a sword or spear (Thinking) in the other. She discards emotion to think with crystal clarity and cut to the quick. Athena is often pictured with the scales of justice and an owl on her shoulder to symbolize wisdom.

An Athena type came to me for a reading many years ago. I’ll call him Athen. Athen arrived on my doorstep dressed in an expensive designer suit and power tie. I greeted him in my t-shirt and jeans. As a master business plan writer, Athen seemed out of place consulting a palmist in an east village tenement apartment. A friend of his had attended one of my palmistry lectures and gave me a radiant referral.

Athen’s modus operandi was to find floundering companies and create compelling new products or services to point them in the direction of prosperity. In exchange for writing a first class business plan, Athen would receive a nominal fee and substantial stock options. An emperor of illusion, Athen would weave a sophisticated cloak of investment opportunity. Like a tailor, he threaded his needle with enough preferred non-voting stock to begin weaving his wardrobe. As plans took form, the company’s stock would appear more valuable. For a substantial retainer, Athen would help execute his concepts and guide management through the churning rapids of dramatic changes taking place within the company structure. Once the company was able to survive without Athen, he sold off large chunks of his stock and quickly moved on to the next project. Athen attempted to resuscitate several companies that failed without his help. He always prospered.

Athen explained that he was embroiled in a mid-eight-figure fiasco concerning securities fraud. The IRS was a monkey on his back. He needed strategies for the best ways to proceed. Although we resided in totally different worlds, Athen and I immediately hit it off. Thinkingtypes can bounce ideas off each other for hours. We were archetypal from the get go. Athen was Pinocchio. I was Jiminy Cricket. Like Pinocchio, Athen was smart, but surprisingly naïve. Jiminy appeared because Pinocchio lacked a conscience.

It’s possible in business to be legal and unethical or immoral at the same time. If Athen were to put his ever growing nose in the wrong place at the wrong time, it might get chopped off. That’s what was happening. Athen offered me a generous retainer to be his “Jiminy Cricket”. I declined, but accepted occasional payments and gifts in exchange for my time, advice, and friendship. I used astrology to examine Athen’s timing and behavioral patterns. Tarot cards helped us gain better insight into his relationships.

Athen is a thinking type with square palms and long fingers. His long unobstructed straight headlines and long straight and strong pinkie fingers with long bottom phalanges are great for commerce. Athen was inherently an honest and caring person. He was ambitious (strong index finger), hardworking, and blinded by his desire and need for freedom, power, and wealth. You can see from the separation between his head and life lines that Athen doesn’t lack initiative. He couldn’t care less what others think of him.

I decided the best way to communicate with Athen was to be direct and make good sense. His long graceful heart line extends to his index finger, representing a romantic and sentimental nature. You can see from the vertical lines within the ball of his thumb that Athen is deeply committed to his family and friends. I first tried appealing to his compassionate nature.

Why not design and promote healthy sensible products (like Paul Newman) and give as much profit as possible to charitable causes? Athen claimed he loved that idea, but rationalized that he needed to be personally more financially substantial before giving money away. I disagreed.

“Does the world really need another greasy french fry, addictive brew, or violent video game? Why can’t the same resources and labor be used to make healthier products and services? Why not make products more expensive and exploit less people along the way?” “More expensive means more grease”, according to Athen. A higher selling price means more time and money spent romanticizing and glamorizing a product or service. Selling less and making more money is a great idea, but doesn’t come cheap.

“It’s the grease”, Athen would say. Why do consumers pay so much more for caffeine at $tarbuck$? What makes a person buy an expensive designer brand name when they can get the exact same generic item for less? Revolutionary new products or services are sometimes created and protected. Some become generic and incredibly profitable. Most products and services are just variations on existing themes. Athen offered viable alternative business strategies that seemed likely to happen well if well implemented.

It was easy to see who’d actually benefit and who wouldn’t. The cream always rises to the top. The problem is that every scheme where someone is making heaps of money means others are being deceived, exploited, or used. The poorest people are always scraping for pennies at the bottom of the barrel. Laws that protect masses of ordinary people are created long after the reason for them has been abused. It’s no secret that Philip Morris always knew cigarette smoking was unhealthy. By manipulating the legal system, they shirked their responsibilities and justified their actions.

Truman Capote, a Libra, innately understood how easy it is to manipulate truth and the legal system. “Even an attorney of moderate talent can postpone doomsday year after year, for the system of appeals that pervades American jurisprudence amounts to a legalistic wheel of fortune, a game of chance, somewhat fixed in favor of the criminal, that the participants play interminably.”

Jiminy Cricket guided Pinocchio who eventually found truth and became a “real boy”. Athen and I weren’t so lucky. Athen ended up losing everything. In Libran style, he started over with fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and a dollop of grease. He’s still wheeling and dealing. Pinocchio and Jiminy keep in touch, but no longer collaborate.

Scott is a Cardinal Thinking type. His Sun, Moon, Mars, and Jupiter are in the sign of Libra. That’s a lot of Libra. Scott has Scorpio rising and three planets in Scorpio. That’s a lot of fixity in the feeling department. Scott is head ruled, but soft hearted. Much of his emotional growth can be attributed to his partner Lisa, who is a Cardinal Feeling type. Her Sun, Venus, and Uranus are in Cancer. She’s heart ruled, but also a strategic thinker. She has to be in order to partner well with Scott. Scott and Lisa balance each other beautifully. Scott’s strong and firm hardworking hands have designed and built sustainable housing, planted and tended bountiful gardens, and nourished community. He’s also a Tai Chi master, baker, musician, song writer, and good friend. Lisa has strong hardworking multi-talented hands that create many wonderful multi-media works of art and produce many healthy expressive venues for children. www.pompanuck.org.

Susan was born on the same day and year as Scott. She has the same planets at the same degrees in different astrological houses. You’d think their hands would be very similar, but they’re very different. Observe the separation between Susan’s head and life line. She has long index fingers that are ambitious, but in a very different way than Scott. Notice how the fingers on her right (dominant) hand lean towards the index finger. A motivated natural giver, she has traversed much of the Third World In the Peace Corp with her partner Orin, helping less fortunate people live better lives. Her language and communication skills are refined. Susan sings in a chorale; her wonderful voice is a finely tuned instrument. She’s a great gardener, cellist, documentary photographer (my website photos), and good friend.

My Cousin Richie, Libra extraordinaire, philosopher, sculptor, and inventor; created Tangle, The Infinite Sculpture (designer series of interactive, interlocking, plastic elbows). Our mothers were sisters. We share the ancestral “happiness”, and “seeker” genes. I once said to Richie, “If you put the same religious fervor into saving the world as you have into plastic elbows, we’d be saved”. He replied, “I am saving the world, one Tangle at a time” He meant it.

Richie has sold tens of millions of Tangles worldwide. I ran into a mutual friend on the streets of NYC who said he visited a monastery in Tibet and saw a picture of the Dalai Lama with a chrome Tangle in his lap. I wasn’t surprised. When I visited Richie at his gift show booth in NYC, he was talking with a very conservative buyer from Wal-Mart. I leaned closer to overhear what he was saying, “Let me show you the only product in this show worth more than money”. He meant it.

The hardest task in reading hands is learning to judge hands. One person’s long, rectangular, and firm might be another’s short, square, and soft. Rigorous practice is necessary to learn to observe and judge hands. Few of us are pure types. You may look at Cousin Richie’s fingers and see them as a bit short for a thinking type. I admit that if I didn’t know Richie, I may have seen his fingers differently, but the opposition between Libra and Aries is powerful. Dominant Libra opposes Aries as autumn opposes spring. Odysseus’s strategy fanned the flames of Jason’s passion on his quest for the Golden Fleece. Knowing Richie’s astrology and behavior has influenced how I see his hands.

My brother Gary has a Pisces sun. He’s a mutable feeling type. With Libra hands, he behaves more like a cardinal thinking type. Gary is a geriatric psychiatrist. I used to threaten to become one of his craziest patients, but then as a Gemini, I decided not to get old. Gary’s Libra temperament graciously and gracefully deals with the most stressful situations. Pisces gives Gary an ability to have the natural empathy and intuition that many Libras lack. Gary is a wonderful psychiatrist, husband, father, brother, son, and friend.

You don’t have to be an expert palmist to see certain truths in hands. When the end of a heart line dips down to touch the beginning of a headline, it’s unlikely the person will verbalize their deeper feelings, especially their negative emotions. Their rational mind controls a very impressionable heart. Add a short index finger and that wreaks havoc on a person’s self-esteem. It makes trying to offer advice to anyone with that combination a challenge for anyone who wants to help. From their personal history, you may learn that one or their parents was emotionally or physically absent during the person’s formative years.

One highly principled Libra was Mohandas Gandhi, spiritual leader, lawyer, and civil rights champion in early twentieth century India. He promoted non-violent disobedience and began India’s freedom movement. Gandhi must have had huge empathy and unshakable conviction to overcome the inertia of his short index fingers. Dennis Kucinich, a Libra, and a long shot in the 2004 presidential campaign, promised to make non-violence a priority by establishing a “Department of Peace”. Russian president Vladimir Putin is a Libra. He was nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Bruce Springstein “The Boss”, has captivated masses for 30+ years with his charisma. Jim Henson and John Lennon were also Libras who mesmerized masses of followers.

Sleeping Beauty symbolizes a search for self through other. Prince Charming (Aries) rescues SB from her hundred year sleep. He bestows a magic kiss that enables her to awaken. They ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. Many Libras have unrealistic expectations of relationships that end up a disappointing reality. Most Libras prefer to be married. A marriage license may be a legally binding contract, but it doesn’t guarantee love.

Winnie the Pooh (Libra) tries to find balance in his life by “think, think, thinking”. Somehow, he always manages to get a pot full of honey for himself. Christopher Robin (Aquarius) knows what’s best for everyone. Winnie lives in the hundred-acre wood with his friends, Piglet (Gemini), Rabbit (Virgo), Roo (Sagittarius), Tigger (Leo), and Eeyore (Capricorn).

Everyone has Libra, Venus, and a 7th house in their astrology. Deep down, we know what’s honest, true, and fair. Most of us have ethical and moral values and boundaries. We also know right from wrong and fear the consequences of our betrayals. It’s easy to analyze, rationalize, and compartmentalize our bad habits and behaviors. “Laws keep honest people honest”, “Locks keep honest people out”, and “Contracts are only as good as the people who sign them” are aphorisms that describe Libran logic.

Historically, when the outer planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transited the sign of Libra, forces of good and evil clashed as we tried to find a balance between optimism, pessimism, tolerance, prejudice, progress, and regress. There was not much social or political stability during these periods.

While the planet Neptune (Pisces) transited the sign of Libra from 1942 to 1957, Nuclear weapons began proliferating. The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. President Truman instructed the Atomic Energy Commission to produce an even bigger `Hydrogen Bomb’. The United Nations began blossoming. International cartels became firmly established. The European Common Market was recognized. The civil rights movement flourished. Group psychology became popular. The World Council of Churches was established. Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini, founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was the first American citizen canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

The art world went through dramatic changes. Allen Ginsberg became a popular poet writing, “I have seen the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness”. When Neptune left Libra in 1957, the bestselling novel was Peyton Place focusing on sexual intrigue in a small town. People born between 1942 and 1957 tend to be overly idealistic in relationships. They must learn to harmonize, compromise, and sacrifice.

While the planet Uranus (Aquarius) transited the sign of Libra from 1968 to 1975, the spirit of our nation shifted from optimism to pessimism. Faith in progress turned into disillusionment with national institutions and world progress. This period was marked by useless popular inventions like the “pet rock”, giant platform shoes, and shag haircuts. Punk Rock, along with primal therapy and streaking became popular. The Supreme Court legalized abortions in the first trimester of pregnancy (Roe vs. Wade). Governor Wallace, a racial bigot from Alabama, announced that he would be running for President on the newly formed American Independent Party ticket. He threatened to repeal the “so called civil rights laws”. Meanwhile, the most popular show on TV was a comic satire about a racist named Archie Bunker. Diplomat Henry Kissinger approved the financing of clandestine CIA activities in Chile aimed at preventing the election and inauguration of Salvador Allende as Marxist President. Patty Hearst was kidnapped and brainwashed by the Symbionese Liberation Army. A military junta deposed Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.

While the planet Pluto (Scorpio) transited the sign of Libra from 1971 to 1983, growers and pickers finally reached a settlement that ended a nearly ten year grape boycott (led by Cesar Chavez). Farm workers finally had bargaining power. This time marked the official beginning of the environmental movement. The Supreme Court upheld busing as a way of integrating schools. An assassination attempt left presidential candidate George Wallace paralyzed from the waist down. Prime Minister Idi Amin slaughtered over 300,000 Ugandans and alienated his country from the rest of the world. Violence in Ireland forced Britain to seize control of Northern Ireland and suspend the Protestant controlled parliament. An arm of the Palestine Liberation Organization terrorized the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich. In 1975 South Vietnam crumbled, bringing an end to the Vietnam War. Because of the Karen Ann Quinlan case, `right to die’ rulings were enacted all across the USA. The serial killer “Son of Sam” was finally put away after terrorizing the male and female population of NYC. Religious fanatic Jim Jones got his followers to commit suicide. John Lennon was murdered.

Intuitive types (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) are highly spirited, enthusiastic individuals who dislike details, need to grasp the whole picture, require a lot of freedom to express themselves naturally, and pride themselves on their honesty. As objective independent thinkers, they must set inspiring goals to channel their energy and passion into. They become easily bored with the mundane and routine. They must cultivate far vision and enduring patience. Often accused of ‘being opinionated’, their point of view is crucial. Communicating clearly and effectively is a must. The best way for these extroverts to flourish is to behave responsibly, honestly, patiently, and naturally in relationships.

Leos are fixed intuitive types who love being the center of attention. They’re creative, dramatic, generous, enthusiastic, and fiercely loyal. They’ll try to adopt you into their ‘pride’ when they’re feeling admired and appreciated. Their fans look forward to their humor and stories. Don’t ever take a Leo for granted. Unlike Aries they take rejection personally, even if they haven’t been rejected. As creatures of habit, they can cling to obsolete behavioral patterns, depressing situations, and fruitless relationships. Leos must learn to let go of false pride, pay attention to the handwriting on the wall, and cut their losses by letting go of whatever’s not working. Leos can also spread themselves too thin and become the notorious multi-talented jacks of all trades, masters of none.

Donald Trump is a Gemini with Leo rising. His Leo hands embody the most negative attributes of Leo’s will power and behavior that include being self-centered, self-indulgent, superficial, ostentatious, egotistical, ruthless, greedy, bossy, seductive, and a lousy role model.

How many gilded towers, glitzy gambling casinos, golden pedestals, and graven images do we require? Beauty queens, shark tanks, and celebrity idols are our heroes. What has happened to Donald’s (and our) humanity and spirituality?

You don’t need to have a Leo sun to be a Leo type. Leonine hands are like Arian hands in shape, consistency, and coloration. Leo’s joints are stiffer, especially the thumb. The elasticity of Leo’s hands is tenser and the consistency is denser than their Sagittarian brethren. Leo life and head lines are closely intertwined where the thumb joins the hand. Pure Leos have strong ring fingers. Shapes of the tips, proportions of phalanges, knots, nails, and other markings reveal more about the person. Whorl fingerprints (concentric circles, spirals, fire / intuitive) add originality, independence, and unconventionality.

Ring fingers symbolize artistic and aesthetic abilities, drama, versatility, salesmanship, showiness, and gambling proclivities. No matter your archetype, long ring fingers on dominant hands add versatility, adaptability, creativity, and expressivity. Cultivated types savor beautiful things with a highly developed sense of taste and style. I’ve noticed that long ring fingered types are more likeable than short ring fingered folk. A ring finger is judged for length against the middle finger. When the tip is shorter than the middle of the first phalanx of the middle finger, it’s considered short. When longer, it’s long. Long index fingered Leos love being boss. Last time I checked, there were more Fortune 500 and NASDAQ (over 10%) LEO CEO’s than any other sign. I’ve seen similar ring fingers on hands of gamblers. They win, but don’t know when to stop betting. I’ve also read the hands of many architects, designers, photographers, craftsmen, and curators with long ring fingers.

Free will is the most important reason for learning to read hands. Willpower is the esoteric correspondence for Leo. Our thumb is the location of will in our hands. It’s the reason we dominate our simian ancestors. Our minds developed because our thumbs oppose our other four fingers. A thumb is a small body part that takes up a huge space in the cerebral cortex of our brains. We’ve designed all of our tools from a simple pencil to our most complex computers as a result of the placement of our thumbs.

Our hands manifest the messages of our minds. In turn, our character, thoughts, feelings, and experience are mapped in the shapes and proportions of our hands. Our stories are engraved in the topography of our hands. It’s paradoxical that so few of us are aware of the priceless treasure waiting to be discovered at the ends of our arms. The beauty of palmistry is that our changes reveal themselves in the mirrors of our hands over time as our thinking and circumstances change. Freewill is a choice and opportunity for change.

Our thumbs symbolize our three most valuable natural resources: will power, logic, and ability to love. These precious qualities must be balanced. Thumbs, like our other fingers, have two joints that form three segments known as phalanges. The top phalanx is will power. The second is reasoning ability. When will is longer than logic, we may act before we think. If logic is longer, we may figure everything out, but get stuck in thinking. Then we procrastinate when we should act. A bit more logic than will keeps us in check.

Knots symbolize a need for more order in the area the knot represents. The knottier the joint, the more order is needed. The top knot is mental order (or disorder). The second knot needs physical order. If the middle phalange on your pinky is shortest, it may not be easy to keep things in their place. Huge knots may be arthritic or they can alert you to possible OCD. ‘Everything must be as I need it to be.’ The third or bottom phalanx is the ball of thumb (contained by the lifeline). Balls of thumb provide information about our capacities for sympathy, nurturing, maintaining intimate connections, loving, and valuing children, animals, nature, art, and music. Without love, empathy, and sympathy, all the passion, logic, and will in the world will never be healthy.

Thumb size is important. A thumb must be judged in relationship to the whole hand. Does a thumb look large or small in comparison to a hand? Is a thumb high or low set? The ‘normal’ length of thumb (held closely to hand) is even with the middle of the third phalange of the index finger. If longer, it’s long. If shorter, it’s short. A large thumbed person is a natural leader who wants useful practical results. Small thumbed folk are impressionable, sentimental, and easily led by their heartstrings. A tiny flexible thumbed person might stay home in bed, watch soap operas, and eat bonbons. Read my version of the “Three little pigs and their thumbs”.

“The most difficult job in the world is not being president. It’s being a parent.”

Ex-President Bill Clinton is a Leo. Born in 1946, three months after his real dad died, Bill was raised by an abusive alcoholic stepfather. Many Leos spend much of their lives searching for approval from father figures because theirs was physically, mentally, or emotionally absent during their formative years. One of Leo’s quests in their life is a hero’s journey to overcome the fear of abandonment and become a devoted parent figure who loves unconditionally without expectation. Bill’s Sun, Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto are in Leo. He has Leo hands with a robust ring finger that enjoys marriage, but has very high expectations of his mate. As Commander and Chief, Bill was a polyamorous player of political games, musical instruments, and women.

People judge Bill for his character, but whether you like him or not, Bill is true to his character. Bill’s Sun and Jupiter blend Apollo and Zeus, two powerful, charismatic, and sexy gods in Greek myth. Zeus was famous for his seductions and philandering. Apollo was irresistible. It’s not easy to find healthy creative outlets for all that libido. Many of the most powerful men and women in the world are philanderers with secret sexual addictions. Excess testosterone comes with the territory.

Bill loved ruling the free world, getting away with shameful sex, and playing his saxophone at the same time. Zeus could possess whatever mortal he wanted. His challenge was getting away with it. Hera was famous for kicking his butt by punishing his conquests and their offspring. Due to our culture’s fundamentalist socio-religious values, Bill Clinton’s sexual behavior undermined his position and power. It’s hard to get away with much when you’re both mortal and a celebrity. You can bet Hillary (Scorpio) booted Bill’s behind when he was caught with his pants down around his ankles and his cock in his intern’s mouth. Hillary is less likeable than Bill, but she’ll be a better President if she gets the chance.

Apollo and Hercules are solar archetypes of ancient Greece. Samson was Judaic, Osiris was Egyptian, Parcival was English, and Narashima was Indian. The Lion King and Goldilocks are fairytales that Walt Disney popularized. One Leo who feared his father and made a myth out of himself is the ‘Terminator’ / ‘Conan the barbarian’, former governor of California. Arnold’s short index fingers (may appear short when folded inward) reveal deep issues and challenges about his self-esteem and spirituality. Curved pinkies please while avoiding real confrontation by pretending things are better than they are. They act nice when they don’t feel nice. Arnold’s large flexible thumbs are adaptable and versatile. He can become distracted and unfocused. People accuse Arnold of being a bad actor. Arnold chooses great plots. He’s much more clever and adaptable than people realize. Arnold’s Arthurian myth is the search for the Holy Grail. He must ask the right questions to find a balance between his head and heart.

In April of 2001, I read Martha Stewart’s hands on her TV show, ‘Martha Stewart Living’. A critical father encouraged Martha to be obsessively ambitious and compulsively hard working. Born August 3 1941, Leo rules Martha’s Sun, Pluto, and Midheaven. Her multi- talented hardworking Aquarian hands are well designed for gardening and crafts. I didn’t see “fame” in Martha’s hands. I saw an extremely strong index finger on her dominant hand. Martha earns and deserves whatever she achieves.

Martha’s large stiff thumbs symbolize persistent will power, dogged determination, and fiery passion. As a host, Martha was gracious. As a boss, she’s demanding. I observed dozens of hip young people who make sure Martha always looks good. Her intention and mission is to give her fans valuable information and resources. In hindsight, I regret not doing a better job explaining palmistry. I was nervous. When I got home, I examined Martha’s hand prints along with her astrological chart. I wish I could share them with you, but don’t have permission. I realized 2002 was going to be a challenging year in which Martha’s integrity and reputation might be challenged. I offered to discretely share my insights with her. She didn’t reply.

When the ImClone stock scandal broke, people who knew I’d been on her show began calling to ask if I’d seen it coming. They made cruel jokes and suggested I remove her from my press materials. I was disgusted by how many people found joy as Martha crashed and burned. The media dressed Martha in wolf’s clothing and she became their sacrificial lamb. Meanwhile, real criminals, like George W Bush’s buddy, ‘Kenny Boy’ Lay (Enron), Dennis Kozlowski (Tyco), and Bernie Ebbers (WorldCom) were getting away with capitalistic genocide. I wrote to Martha to offer my insights. Again, there was no reply.

I see Martha as an honest person with straight fingers, firm elastic skin, strong healthy palms, and clearly defined lines. Martha became a high profile casualty of corporate greed and corruption. Innocence or guilt was not the issue. Martha’s Leo pride got in the way. She used poor judgment. She wasn’t thinking “I’m insider trading” when she sold her stock. Sure, she should have known better. Rich people are privy to exclusive information. They can choose to enrich themselves with or without it. Secret actions and absolute discretion are a win win scenario.

Martha should have chosen humility like Mufaasa. Instead, she behaved immaturely like young Simba. Where were Pumbaa and Timon when she needed a refresher course on the laws of the jungle? Goldilocks may have enhanced the porridge and decorated the beds more beautifully, but the bears were still pissed when they get home. Martha demonstrated the hubris that destroyed the gods and heroes in Greek and Roman myth. As a queen, she must always take the high road. She should have apologized to her loyal fans and offered the profit to a great cause. Trust will be re-earned as Martha serves her fan’s needs, battles her ego, and shows true humility and generosity of spirit.

An appropriate archetype for Martha is the Greek goddess Athena, who ruled Arts and Crafts. In peacetime Athena is pictured with a spear in one hand and a bowl or spindle in the other. She looked after weavers, potters, and craftsmen. Athena clashed with a mortal named Arachne, an incredible weaver. People compared Arachne to Athena and it went to Arachne’s head. She should have given Athena credit. Instead, she arrogantly challenged Athena to a weaving contest. She made matters worse by poking fun at Athena’s family with her art. Her creation was magnificent, but Athena transformed Arachne into the greatest weaver for all time, the arachnid (spider). It’s not a good idea for mortals to mess with Gods.

Martha is dominated by Athena, but she’s not Athena. She has enormous mental, spiritual, and physical energies and resources and is capable of making positive differences by weaving powerful webs of strength, beauty, hope, and faith. Martha can inspire the masses with her good deeds and catalyze positive changes in our world.

Leo is our sun, royalty, and celebrity. I’ve read many celebrities, CEOs, and mega-rich people that live like self-appointed royalty. People ask, “Did you see fame and great wealth in their hands?” NO is the answer. Fame and wealth are not fate, but choices. Hands reveal how a person’s potentials are fulfilled. You too can be wealthier if wealth is your top priority (even if it’s not a priority in your hands). Palmistry books tell us of fame lines that form a perfect ‘star’ under the ring finger. Sarah Bernhardt is the example most palmists use. I’ve seen two perfect stars of Apollo in forty years; the first was on Katie Couric’s right hand and the second on Susan Sarandon’s left hand. I’ve mostly read a diversity of hands with a variety of challenges and solutions to problems with self-esteem, wounded hearts, and confused minds. I can’t be more specific because I must be discrete. Powerful people have the same challenges as everyone else. Many successful people have been driven to succeed because of their fears and insecurities. I’ve learned that money can and does help iron out some of the wrinkles.

I’ve personally turned away opportunities for more celebrity. I was offered a live reality TV series. I’d read hands of people who were chosen by the producer. I refused. I didn’t want to be offensive, defensive, or end up being the ‘Jerry Springer’ of the metaphysical world. A person’s inner life is private and should be respected, even if they don’t respect it. Dog and pony shows may be popular, but I have zero desire to be part of one.

When the producer from ‘The View’ called to ask if I’d be on their show, I initially said ‘no’. I didn’t want to defend myself and palmistry. The producer promised that wouldn’t happen. She insisted I’d have a venue to offer viewers a real taste of palmistry. Unlike Martha’s show (which was taped and edited), ‘The View’ is live with a live audience.

Sure enough, as the cameras commenced, the banter and jokes began. Star Jones challenged me with learning what I was telling her by watching the show. You’ll enjoy my response. In fairness to the producer, they did give me five-minutes to say what I wanted. Please excuse the quality of snapshots. They were captured from the shows.

Alan and I met in the mid 70’s, before I moved to NYC. Alan’s rectangular palms and short fingers reveal an intuitive type. His thumbs and fingers are very stiff and his head and life lines are closely intertwined where his thumbs meet his hands. Alan is a Leo with Leo hands. His lower set curved index fingers, bent pinkies, and crooked middle fingers tell his tale of striving for and achieving personal transformation.

Alan was born poor. His real father died when he was four. He lived on a commercial street in a rich Jewish neighborhood. Alan’s mother was obese and in bad health. She loved Alan, but in desperation, remarried a horrible man who became Alan’s evil stepfather. I saw this creepy guy at funerals before I knew Alan. He was employed by the local home to be a part-time mourner at small gatherings. Alan was an unwanted stepchild in his own home, a tiny shabby apartment located above a smelly butcher shop. While other kids wore monogrammed shirts, smelled of fancy colognes, and drove sporty cars, Alan looked over his shoulder to make sure no one would see him climbing the dingy stairs to his very depressing world.

Alan decided early that he would not be poor when he grew up. His bible became Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. John Lennon was his hero. Alan stubbornly persisted and finally earned his law degree by selling ironing board covers and light bulbs door to door. Lawyers with crooked pinkies are notorious for bending the truth and the law. Alan was as clever as the best of them, but he chose to turn his ingenuity toward marketing himself. With truth on his side, Alan could bend everything else. He became a clever pioneer in legal advertising. Other lawyers who didn’t know Alan saw him as a greedy ‘ambulance chaser’, but Alan’s marketing mind put his clients’ needs and interests first. He once told me, “It doesn’t take winning too many good cases to make a great living.”

While walking in our office in the forest one day, Alan proclaimed, “I used to dream I’d be successful and own a lot of stuff and now I do. I’m glad I proved to myself that I can do it. I no longer need any of it to be happy.” I immediately challenged him to let go of everything. We both knew the truth ~ that it would require a miracle or a catastrophe.

When Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto passed through Leo in the twentieth century, enormous changes were taking place in personal, collective, and governmental rights and power. Uranus (Aquarius), planet of change, transited Leo from 1955 to 1962. The sun shined on strong will, rebellion, determination, vitality, forcefulness, and civil rights. Rosa Parks defied a segregation ordinance by not giving up her bus seat to a white man in Alabama. The Supreme Court upheld her civil rights a year later. The University of Mississippi was forced to enroll its first black student. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock Arkansas to enforce school desegregation. President Kennedy ordered the National Guard to keep schools open in Alabama. Cultural shame cultivated seeds of positive change. Equality and civil rights is still an embarrassment.

New inventions promoted convenience and provided more time for recreation and leisure. Kentucky fried chicken was introduced. Play-Doh became popular. Davy Crocket and coonskin caps became fashionable. Pampers became the first disposable diapers. Crest was the first fluoride toothpaste. The first electric toothbrush was produced. The Teflon Company introduced non-stick cookware. Smith Corona introduced the first portable electric typewriters. Mattel Inc. introduced Barbie. Felt tipped pens became popular. Soft drinks were packaged in aluminum cans for the first time. K-Mart and Wal-Mart opened. Bank of America and American Express issued the first credit cards. The first transatlantic telephone cable began working. The first transcontinental helicopter flight was made. That was only half a century ago.

Neptune (Pisces) takes fourteen years to change sign. When it does, the collective goes through confusing and ambiguous changes. Neptune transited the sign of Leo from 1916 to 1929. Phenomenal world confusion was happening. War brought tremendous prosperity to Wall Street while soldiers earning $16 a month were being killed in the trenches. England blacklisted and prevented over 80 US firms from dealing with neutral countries because they were suspected of trading with Germany. Prescott Bush was one of them. Influenza caused over two hundred deaths a day. Approximately one quarter of the US was sick. Half a million people were dead before the end of 1919.

Daylight savings time began. Arkansas farmers dedicated a monument to the Boll Weevil, whose devastation of the cotton crop caused them to diversify and become more profitable. By 1927, the farm population had dropped dramatically. Countless farmers hopelessly and desperately sold their farms.

Neptune rules alcohol. The underworld, mafia, and gangs thrived. National prohibition began in 1920. Liquor smuggling and bootlegging became big business. Marijuana is the new alcohol.

Congress set a quota limiting the number of immigrants allowed into the country.

A senate subcommittee was formed to investigate the Teapot Dome oil leases.

Walt Disney released the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in 1928. George Eastman created the first color motion pictures. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was performed for the first time as a new form of symphonic jazz.

Doubt, fear, and panic caused the stock market to crash, leaving farmers, businessmen, and both haves and have nots in a state of terrible confusion and crisis.

History repeated itself in the opposition as Neptune transited Aquarius (1998 – 2012). War is still bringing prosperity to Wall Street. Agribusiness and chemical companies like Monsanto are still crushing small farmers and deluding consumers. Immigrants are still being persecuted. Oil and energy companies are still controlling and manipulating us.

The planet Pluto (Scorpio) takes approximately twenty years to change sign. When it does, it disintegrates, destroys, and transforms collective consciousness. Pluto is the dark side of the force. As Pluto transited the sign of Leo from 1938 to 1957, national and personal pride and power transformed. Despite the New Deal, ten million people were unemployed in 1939. President Roosevelt increased appropriations for building the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Congress adopted the Naval Expansion Act. Roosevelt transformed the Federal Reserve by creating the ‘withholding tax’, which was the beginning of social security. He became the first president to appear on television.

The House investigated un-American activities. It was the beginning of huge multi-national business conglomerates. Western Europe tried to appease Hitler with the Munich Pact, which turned Czechoslovakia over to Nazi Germany. Polls showed Americans approved. The Nazis invaded Poland, which caused Great Britain and France to declare war. Winston Churchill asked President Roosevelt for help. In 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Japanese Americans paid a high price as they were forced from their homes into concentration camps where they became innocent victims of hate and prejudice. Fundamentalist devotion to ideologies and tyrants began to crumble. In 1943, the fascist dictator Mussolini fell from power. By 1945, most of the world knew that six million Jews had been slaughtered in Nazi concentration camps.

The atomic bomb was the ultimate plutonian weapon. After we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. In 1949, we supported a war in Korea that ended up killing three million Koreans in less than a year. In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy began his sensational tirade against communist subversives and traitors in the US. Julia and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to the electric chair for stealing bomb secrets.

In 1951, the United Nations complex was completed in New York City. AT&T became the first company with over a million stockholders. Christine Jorgensen became the first transsexual to go public in 1952. Norman Vincent Peale’s best seller, The Power of Positive Thinking was published. The first kidney was transplanted. The first mechanical heart was made to work. Chevrolet introduced the powerful sexy Corvette in 1953. The US launched the Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine in 1954. The Soviet Union opened the world’s first atomic power station. Reigning British Monarchs made their first visit to American soil.

We reached for outer space. Better known as the `ME NOW’ generation, people born between 1938 and 1957 have used technology to build personal power. Pluto in Leo still rules capitalism and democracy. Rest assured, plutocrats will have little problem finding money, rights, resources, and technology to own, harness, package, distribute, and sell our Sun’s energy to all of us when Uranus returns to Leo (2039-2046).